1,000 Points of Light

Most incandescent lighting decorative fixtures are just that—decorative. The stylized housing surrounding the incandescent lamp technology adds nothing to the efficacy of the lamp, but means everything to the look and feel, and desirability, of the fixture.

Everyone is talking about LEDs and their lumens per watt, yet not enough people are talking about the other potential LED technology gives you. One area of untapped potential is quantity. LEDs lend themselves to being used easily in large numbers. You have a small, but moderate output light source that fortunately works with a low voltage current. Except for Christmas decoration products, few manufacturers are taking advantage of the glowing sculptural possibilities that LEDs can offer.

Currently, we expect to see a pendant fixture lighted with a single high output lamp source. Why are we trying to put LEDs in lighting fixture forms that are characteristically incandescent? Few are exploring the new forms that LED fixtures can take.

One manufacturer has fortunately taken up this challenge. The Raimond LED pendant lamp by Moooi (shown above) is a great example of what LEDs can be. Lamp efficacy is a secondary concern here, because most people who purchase this fixture will buy it for the delicate tensile structure that has been designed to work in harmony with LED technology. The new look and design language of this lamp source sells this fixture, not the examination of the accompanying electrical specification sheet. This is where fixture design should be going.